Epistles, also known as letters, are registered at about the same time as writing begins, which have been recorded for over 4,000 years, with the first handwritten one dating back 2,500 years. Emblematic letters are well-known, in which the themes of love, friendship, politics, and administration have been highlighted. Great authors such as Gustave Flaubert, Lewis Carroll, and Honoré de Balzac gave strength to this genre; even Diego de San Pedro, in the Spanish Golden Age, portrayed the story of someone who, in the midst of heartbreak, gulped down the letters he wrote to his beloved until he died. Nowadays, epistles have other forms since virtuality has shown other dynamics to connect us emotionally. Therefore, in the framework of Valentine’s Day, the Foreign Affairs Office, the Language Center, CIERTA (the Academic and Research Advisory office), and FEUCC (the Federation of Catholic Students of the Catholic University of Cuenca) invite you to the First International Contest «Epistles of St. Valentine».
Rules
- Participation is open to all persons over 18 years of age without any restriction regarding origin or residence.
- The theme of the contest is love and friendship.
- Letters must be handwritten in the language of your choice. Translations, regardless of the language used in the letter, will be in English. Innovation in style, language, expressive domain, and spelling are the aspects taken into account, with total freedom of creativity. If the author is part of the Catholic University of Cuenca, the letter should be submitted to the corresponding Academic Department.
- Authors from different parts of the world or those not wishing to deposit the letter in the mailbox should submit it as a photograph and transcribe it on a computer. We request a maximum length of one page, Times New Roman 12, 1.5 spacing.
- Works that directly or indirectly allude to violence in any form (hate, discrimination, etc.) will not be considered.
- Letters must be deposited in the mailbox of the Catholic University of Cuenca or sent to the e-mail info.internacional@ucacue.edu.ec. The authors must register their full name, e-mail, the title of the work, city and country of origin, a brief biography of 5 lines, and attach the work —maximum file size: 4 MB, PDF format—.
- The submission due date is February 5, 2023, at 23:59 Ecuadorian time.
- The winners’ presentation event will be held, in hybrid mode, at the Valentine’s Day awards event. Participants from other parts of the world will be notified by mail.
- The jurors will be writers of national and international prestige.
- Participation in the contest implies acceptance of the rules. Works that do not meet the requirements will be automatically omitted. Authors retain all rights of publication and dissemination of their creations.